


Lights in the Dark

by LawfulStars



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Canon Era, Christmas, Identity Issues, Implied Relationship During M-Sur-M Era, Javert's Suicide, M/M, Madeleine Era, Post-Canon, Post-Seine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-02 03:39:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11501013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LawfulStars/pseuds/LawfulStars
Summary: Valjean had not felt an awful lot besides loneliness as of recent.





	Lights in the Dark

Valjean had not felt an awful lot besides loneliness since he had told Marius of his past and forced himself from Cosette's life. She had been a light for him in his life of darkness, be it a brief light. However, Valjean would not be so selfish as to have dragged her into the dark with him or kept her from a truly free and wonderful life.  
He had expected to be arrested long before she did this, which may have made it easier not having to see the steady stop of letters asking why he had not come and it would have spared him the humiliation he had in the presence of his son-in-law. Had Javert somehow know? Had he wished to make the poor man suffer even more by not coming to arrest him? Javert not coming that night was a great mystery to Valjean, a mystery in which he wished he could solve.  
Valjean never did get around to solving it, until the mystery came to him one night when he was feeling particularly low. See, tonight was Christmas Eve. Oh, how wonderful the night had come to be with Cosette. He never had much of one until that first one with the wonderful child came. He may have taken it for granted, he mused now as he laid back in his chair, staring at the dim flame he had allowed himself.  
Suddenly the room seemed a little colder, and something seemed to be making its way towards him, a presence of something in which he could not tell what until it was right next to him.  
The invisible presence suddenly appeared right in front of the old man, blocking the flame. It was a man, tall with an intimidating frame and stance, looking down on Valjean with a long strand of hair grazing his cheek, those ice blue eyes piercing- Javert!  
Valjean weakly looked up at him, confused beyond imagination. "Ja-Javert? How, why did you not- how?" he should have noticed the man come in, there was no possible way he couldn't with the howling wind outside and the creaking floors. Yet the man had simply appeared before him, almost as though out of the air.  
Javert looked gravely at him, silent as he reached out his hand. Valjean was at first confused until the Inspector nodded, signaling for Valjean to touch it. The white haired man wasn't sure he had ever seen the brunette without gloves, but in his already wildly confused state he dares not question anymore. His hand was clammy and nearly seemed frozen. Javert grabbed his hand, he felt it but there was no pressure. Javert helped the other man up and guided him to the window, pointing out.  
"The Seine," Javerts voice was soft and scratchy but still held all his normal command. Valjean may be weak and old but he was never dumb. He was pointing to the Seine, the pieces fit together.  
"Why? Javert, how could you ever do such a thing, you were, are a good man. You-" Javert flashed him a look, those icy eyes gazing straight into Valjean's core. Valjean felt drawn into those eyes, the eyes of a man he had been close to once, only once in life before Valjean's identity had been revealed.  
"Talking is rather difficult," Javert began before he grimaced. 'But I will try, it is not impossible and it won't kill me," Valjean saw the joke but didn't laugh at the graveness of the situation. "It's only since it has been so long," he trailed off looking back towards the river. 'I do not very well know why I am here, being rather honest, there are much more worthy people whom I am sure you would prefer," he shook his head, turning back to help Valjean into his seat once more.  
"Javert," Valjean paused to lick his lips "You know I harbor no grudge, the opposite if anything in fact, but Javert, again I must ask why?" he furrowed his brows, "and why are you here?"  
"The world was not as I thought. I am okay with it now, I have spent hours thinking of nothing but my views and have come to terms with what I did and what it all led up to. Anyways I would believe this rather good for you, if I did not see you now, good heavens man what have you done to yourself?" He avoided the other question Valjean had asked.  
"I have done what I deserved, I let my happiness go for the sake of another" Valjean said softly after a moment's pause.  
"You always were too selfless, or maybe selfish. You walk a very thin line Monsei- Valjean," Javert mused, fumbling at the end.  
"Do you ever wished thing were different? Maybe if I had always been an honest man, or maybe if I had been selfish enough to let that other man take my place, just maybe-" he was cut off.  
"In another life perhaps. However I do not think either of us could have escaped a life of misery, and you could never have done that. No, again I say too selfless for your own good," Javert let a soft smile play, a sad smile.  
"There is so much I never got to say,"  
"You said enough, saving me even when I betrayed you for my own pride. The same pride that killed me in the end,"  
"It wasn't betrayal or pride, it was your duty. Emotions cannot come into play, as a victim of the law I know this just as well as an enforcer. "Now answer, why are you here," Valjean sat up in his seat, gaining some sort of burst of strength, emotion, and voice.  
"I think you know why, Valjean, do not make me," Javert went to kneel before the older man, taking his hand in his own and pressing it to cold lips. Valjean reached with his other hand and brushed his hands through Javerts long a silky hair, then gliding it across mans cheek. It was an odd sensation, one of that these things were there but were not.  
"I must take my leave now, we will meet again I am sure," Javert stood and gave a slight bow, one he would have given when Valjean was Madeline. "Merry Christmas, Valjean, please take care."  
Valjean felt at peace that night, falling into a pleasant and dreamless sleep.


End file.
